#19 The Quay

Molly and Kevin headed back to Molly's to change for dinner.  As the time approached to head to her parents, Molly became more and more nervous.  She knew how tough her father could be when you first met him, and knew he would push Kevin to make sure he was worthy in her father's eyes.

Molly was not sure how to prepare Kevin for this except to tell him that he needed to stand on his own. Kevin assured her he could handle himself against any challenges as they headed to dinner.  While Molly had seen Kevin deal with others, she still was concerned about how he would react with her father.

Molly and Kevin arrived at Pete and Kara's home and were welcomed by Molly's mum.  The aroma of freshly baked bread and beef stew floated through from the kitchen into the living room.  The room opened immediately to the main room and there sat Pete in his chair, not even getting up.  Kevin took the cue and walked over to him to shake hands and introduce himself.

"So you're the one I've been hearing about down at the local?  My daughter seems to be very taken with you.  We'll have to just see why that would be tonight?, came the gruff response from Pete.

"Sir, I'm go glad I finally get to meet the man who taught Molly all she knows about sailing. I was so lucky to find her and have her share some of that experience with me."  Kevin was doing his best 'I'm a good guy' impression.

"Oh, by the way, I brought a little something to enjoy tonight," as he handed Kara a bottle of wine.

"I'm a Guinness drinker myself," Pete retorted looking for any reason to put Kevin in his place.

Molly was already a nervous mess, and listening to her father talk to Kevin like this was making her even more nervous.  She immediately opened the bottle of wine and poured herself a glass gulping down the first half.  She could see how dinner was going to be like a run away train and she had no way of stopping it. Why was her father doing this?  She looked at her mum and all she got was a shrug back.

As they sat down for dinner, Pete continued with his harsh questions, "So you find out little village only good enough to come visit for escape from the Big Smoke?  Not good enough to live here?"

"Well, sir, I never had the opportunity to think about moving here as my family lives in the Dublin area.  Molly met them and they thought she was wonderful," Kevin was trying to hold his ground, but it wasn't easy.

Molly gulped another glass of wine, finishing off the bottle that Kevin brought and quickly found a second bottle to open.  Everyone else was still on their first glass.

"Kevin you must be a good salesman to be living in Dublin.  It's quite expensive there, isn't it?" Pete was feeling on top of his game.

"Da, please, this is not the conversation we should be having tonight," Molly pleaded, but it was on deaf ears.

"Molly, dear, we are supposed to be getting to know this young man, correct? I'm just trying to see what kind of character your boyfriend has." Pete grumbled.  Something was obviously upsetting him.

As dinner ended Pete led Kevin into the main sitting room while Molly gulped another glass of wine, now almost quite relaxed and feeling the buzz of the alcohol as she helped her mum with the dishes.

"Molly, you have to forgive your father.  He's never had to deal with this before and he's very protective of you,"  her mum explained.

"He could back off just a bit mum.  I'm so embarrassed by all these questions,"  Molly replied as she gulped yet another glass of wine, and started to feel a bit light headed.

As Molly wove her way back into the main room, Kevin could tell she was well beyond her tolerance of wine, and knew they had better return to her cottage before Molly's temper started on her da.

Kevin bade Kara and Pete good night saying that he needed to get some sleep as he had an early start back to Dublin the next morning.  But he really was worried about Molly and getting her back to her cottage.  After many thanks for an interesting evening and a wonderful meal, Kevin got Molly into her coat and with arm wrapped around her, helped her down the front steps, and along the path to her cottage.

#18 The Quay

When Molly arrived back at her cottage Kevin was sound asleep on the sofa curled up with the the blanket she had given him earlier. She quietly slipped by him and headed to her room to shower and get ready for the day. She left Kevin's bag next to the sofa so if he woke up he would see it.

When Molly came back to the main room after putting herself together she found Kevin dressed and sipping on a fresh cup of tea.

"So did you enjoy you nap?" she asked.

"I didn't realize how tired I was," Kevin chuckled back. "Now that the sun has come out what about if we do a little of that sightseeing you've been telling me about?"

"Just what I had in mind. What if we start in Wexford Town and then we could work our way back this way?"

"You're the tour guide this time, so where we go is up to you," Kevin smiled back.

Molly was very familiar with places she had been to many times but also was looking for some out of the way places that would impress Kevin. Normally she would head toward Wexford Town, but today with the sun coming out after the storm she thought a drive out to Hook Head Lighthouse would be wonderful. Molly decided to pack a picnic lunch for the two of them and made a thermos of hot tea to go along with the sandwiches. It would surely be windy and a bit cold this time of the year out on the peninsula. Finally prepared they headed out in Molly's car.

The ride was glorious. More than Molly could have wished for. Kevin was duly impressed with the countryside and ruins in the middle of farm fields. With a few rain clouds and some fine sprinkling of rain there were more than enough rainbows to keep them busily pointing out new ones to each other as the drove the back road to Hook Head.

Approaching the lighthouse the peninsula narrowed to where water was visible on both sides of the road. The lighthouse stood like an amazing black and white sentry to the landscape at the very end of the road as it had stood for over eight hundred years and was now the oldest intact lighthouse in the world.

Molly really had no care about its age. She just knew that the view from the balcony was spectacular. In the back of her mind she secretly hoped that they might see a humpback whale off the shore.

After the chilly climb up the one hundred fifteen steps and back, Molly and Kevin stopped by the cafe and bakery and chose some sweets to complete their lunch. As the day progressed and the sun contunued to shine, it was more than warm enough to sit at one of the picnic tables and enjoy their lunch and sweet dessert.

It only took a little over an hour to get to the lighthouse so Molly planned a slight diversion on the way back toward Wexford Town. Taking the road on the west side of the peninsula (they had come through Fethard on the east) Dunbrody Abbey could be spotted a few miles away standing back from the road. It was a jewel all alone in the countryside. In the last several years it had been restored. It had been left for so many years like other Irish castles and abbeys to deteriorate. Now it was something special to behold.

Time seemed to stop at this point for Molly and Kevin as they walked through the abbey. The abbey was not rebuild but restored to a point where you could wander the insides and feel the spirit of the time.

Just down the road was the John F. Kennedy Arboretum. Molly and Kevin passed on this to visit another time. When Molly and Kevin realized how much time they had spent at the abbey they had no choice but to head back to Kilmore Quay so they were not late for dinner with Molly's parents.

#17 The Quay

As the week progressed, the days and hours seemed to drag along.  The more Molly was anxious for the weekend to arrive, the slower things moved along.  It was difficult for her to think that she had ever anticipated the arrival of a weekend this much.

Friday evening arrived and there was no word from Kevin.  Not even a phone call.  Molly wanted to call Kevin, but she didn't want to seem pushing either.  As night drew near and the clouds darkened the winter sky she worried that something had happened.  Finally, ignoring all her sensibilities, she called Kevin only to find there was no answer.  What was going on?

By midnight Molly was exhausted and worried that the little bit of whiskey she had to calm her nerves had kicked in and she fell asleep in the over-sized chair in her sitting room.  It was early morning before she awoke and still had not heard from Kevin.  And now the morning sky had filled with dark clouds warning of a storm.  Molly stretched her body, stiff from sleeping in the chair, reluctant to move for few minutes.  She could hear the sound of the rain showers starting on the windows, slowly at first and then the downpour began.

She leaned over and sleepily and switched on the light on the table beside the chair.  The sound of the rain on the windows was almost musical, but there was something else, a tapping that had started.  She stirred out of her sleepy state and realized there was a tapping at her door.  What on earth was going on?

With the blanket throw from the chair wrapped around her she slowly opened the door to find a very drenched Kevin standing before her.

"What happened?", she asked as she pulled Kevin into the cottage moving the blanket throw from around to herself to around Kevin pushing him toward the left over fire with the glowing embers from the night before.

"Traffic, flat tire, dead phone, you name it."  Kevin responded as he put his hands near the fire to warm a bit.

Molly put more peat logs on the fire to get a better fire going.  They would need it with a storm like this to keep the cottage nice and warm.  Kevin was literally shivering.  Molly started the hot water in the shower and pulled Kevin away from the slowly gaining fire to the shower room with orders to warm up in the hot water.  While Kevin was warming up in the shower, Molly started a pot of tea and some breakfast scones for the two of them to eat.  She had not even taking into consideration how she looked until she looked at her reflection in the window.  She was horrified for Kevin to see her like this.

It was too late to do anything now.  Kevin was in the shower room where all her needs were.  She would have to excuse herself once he was out.  And with that thought, she heard Kevin enter the room.

When she turned she gasped as Kevin had only a towel wrapped around him.  She had totally forgotten about all his wet clothes.

"Where is your bag for the weekend, Kevin?",  Molly queried.

"In the car, about a mile up the road.  I wasn't thinking it would be raining so hard so quickly." Kevin groaned as he moved back toward the warm fire.  He seemed a bit uncomfortable with only the towel wrapped around him in front of Molly.  Excusing herself quickly she retreated to her room for a quick look in the mirror.  Shocked at the way she looked she grabbed her brush and quickly ran it through her hair, then grabbed a dry blanket for Kevin to wrap himself in.

"This is the best I can do at the moment," Molly explained as she handed Kevin the blanket.  I'll throw your clothes in the dryer, but they are so wet it will take a good while for them.  "Let me get you some hot tea.  I know how chilling these winter storms can be."

As the two of them sat in front of the fire sipping their tea, they had to laugh at their predicament.  Even under these circumstances, they felt relatively comfortable with each other.

"Hardly the way I expect to present myself to you today, Molly," Kevin explained.

"I'm just glad you made it safely.  I was terribly worried,"  Molly responded.  "It looks like the worst of the storm is over and the sun might make it out yet today.  If anything, even without a sunny day, it will be clear enough for us to do a little exploring.  Now give me your car keys and tell me where the car is, so I can go get your bag."

"I'll go with you," Kevin shouted.

"Not dressed like that you won't," Molly laughed.

With Kevin's directions Molly easily found Kevin's car, transferred his bag to her car and headed back to the cottage.  The day was improving and so was their circumstance.

#16 The Quay

Molly had a lot to think about on the trip home. When she arrived back in Kilmore Quay she realized that there was something important that she needed to take care of before the next weekend came around and Kevin arrived.  All this time she had been getting to know Kevin, she had never shared any of this with her parents.  While she regularly visited them, she did not share this special relationship that had been blossoming between her and Kevin.  Now it was going to be mandatory to do that.

Molly arrived back in Kilmore Quay just around dinner time and called her parents to see if she could stop by for a bit in the evening.  Peter and Kara were snuggled by the fire as the cold wind came off the sea when Molly arrived. Even in their retirement age, they still appeared like young lovers. 

Previously, Molly had explained to them that she was taking a weekend trip to Dublin, but did not go into details.  Both were a bit skeptical and suspicious, but knew not to probe as Molly would tell them what was going on in her own time. Peter had actually thought this might have something to do with a sailing competition, but waited patiently without asking.

Molly walked up the small hill overlooking the quay to their cottage thinking to herself that someday she would like to have something similar with someone, maybe Kevin. Her thoughts kept wandering back to how Kevin was so entrenched in Dublin, and how he might get bored living the kind of lifestyle she so loved.

Peter and Kara's place was small but very comfortable and Molly made herself at home in a big easy chair after greeting her parents.  She could tell by the look on their faces, they were waiting to her to tell them what was going on.  So starting back at the beginning when she first met Kevin, she told the story of how the two of them had become so close.

Peter smiled and said, “I'd been hearing some rumors from the pub that you were hanging out with some city lad. Now I know it's true. So is he a good dependable lad?”

Peter was only concerned for his daughter that she find someone good and dependable for the long run as he had.  Kara was quiet during this time leaving the discussion to Peter.

“Da, he's coming to visit again next weekend, and I'd like to bring him by,” Molly explained. “I really do want you and Mum to meet him.”

Kara perked up, “Well, then, we'll have to have a perfectly planned family dinner for your friend. It's been ages since I've had to plan something special.  At least I have all week to get things together.  Peter, we'll need a trip to Wexford Town to shop and I need to find something extraordinary to prepare.”

“Nonsense Kara, he's just a Dublin lad, what will he care?” Peter was going to be a bit more cautious about this.

They all laughed and for the remainder of the evening Molly shared her experiences from her trip to Dublin.  Her new silver bracelet with the sailboat charm did not go unnoticed by her mother either. 

Molly knew the week would be busy with making sure all the sloops were ready for winter and that the sail shop had all the supplies it needed.  She would be limiting hours now as the water was not fit for taking tourists out and business was slower.  Next weekend she and Kevin would be doing some exploring around the area scouting places that they might take the group the following spring.  Molly also wanted to take Kevin to a few other local sites that might interest him. 

That next week Molly found herself working around the sail shop with more of a purpose than she usually did. She smiled more being content to know that the weekend would soon be there.

#15 The Quay

Sunday morning arrived quickly as Molly showered and dressed for her last visit of the weekend with Kevin's sister.  She took the time to indulge in a heartier breakfast thinking it would last her the trip back on the bus, and also a brisk walk around the neighborhood.  She decided that she could handle Dublin as long as most of her time was spent on the outskirts of city center away from the hustle and bustle of crowds and traffic.

Molly had her small suitcase packed and downstairs near the door when Kevin arrived.  He seemed a bit rushed and out of breath.

“Kevin, what's up?” Molly asked.

“Oh...nothing, I just overslept a bit and was trying to get too much done this morning before I got here,”  Kevin offhandedly answered.  He did seem nervous about something.

Molly knew better than to grill him on what was going on.  If he wanted to tell Molly, he would in his own time.  Over these past few months she had learned to trust his judgment and not push.

Kevin put the suitcase in the back seat, and the two headed off to the south side of Dublin to Dun Laoghaire along the coast and Kevin's sister's house.  Siobhan and her husband lived in an apartment on Harbour Road overlooking Dun Laoghaire.  Other than the fact that it was an apartment and on the third floor, Molly thought the location was stunning. 

Siobhan's husband worked for a national telecommunications company, and Siobhan worked at a local doctor's office handling insurance claims.  They had bought the apartment before the price boom, and now were very happy that their investment paid off. 

If Molly had any concerns about meeting Siobhan, they were quickly put to rest once they were introduced and started chatting.  Siobhan, like her mother, was open and friendly and only wanted the best for Kevin as his older sister.  It wasn't long before the two women had left Kevin and his brother-in-law inside the apartment and sat down with some tea on the balcony overlooking the harbour. 

Siobhan's questions were probing, but not in an offensive way.  Molly felt quite comfortable talking with her.  But now Molly needed to ask Siobhan some questions that she could not, and would not, ask Kevin.

“Kevin mentioned to me that he did not always make the best of choices.  Do yo know what he meant by that?”  Molly asked straightforward.

“Molly, Kevin can be impulsive at times.  From what I understand, you've met Erin.  While they dated for over a year, that was the first time he was cautious about where a relationship was going.  And I have to say, with good reason. But it did take him a long time to finally break up with her.  Before that he would date a girl for a few months and think he wanted to get married. We've really tried to guide him into some better choices."

“Kevin and I are very close and while we might not see each other very often, we do chat on the phone and share our feelings about things.  I could see how impressed he was after he met you the first time.  I waited until he brought up the subject of sailing again several times and listened closely to what he was saying.  I tried to get through the whole sailing thing and listened to what he was saying about you.  He had no idea he was focusing on you just as much as he was the idea of sailing, but I could see it.  I wanted to give him the chance of following his interest in sailing, but also a chance to get to know you better, so I bought him the sailing lessons as a gift.  I have to say, it was one of my best choices,”  Siobhan concluded smiling.

“Thank you for your honesty Siobhan.  I always wonder about ulterior motives, and after meeting Erin, I felt I was so different, and was struggling with why Kevin had any interest in me,” Molly confessed.

“Molly, what you need to understand is with Erin, it was more of her hanging on to Kevin, than Kevin wanting to continue the relationship.  It was very difficult for him to break it off.  And I'm still not sure to this day that Erin has realized that she really has no chance with Kevin. Be careful of that one,” Siobhan advised.

“Oh, I've already had a run in with her, but I can hold my own.  I might be from a small town, but there will be no walking all over me.  And as for Kevin, I would not be putting up from any shenanigans from him either,”  Molly and Siobhan both laughed at this.

“You are just what Kevin needs,” Siobhan. “I can see you can take care of yourself and not put up with nonsense from him.  Somehow I knew that when I talked to you on the phone. He does care very much for you.  He doesn't bring many girls around to meet the family.  I'm so very glad we had this time to meet and chat.  Don't be a stranger,”  Siobhan finished.

“And I'd love for you and your husband to come down to Kilmore Quay and visit too.  If you like being out on the water, we could work out a sailing weekend, maybe a family trip,”  Molly offered generously.

“Sounds good, but it's difficult for us to get away.  We'll see what next spring and summer bring along,”  Siobhan smiled.

Kevin and Molly bid their farewells to Siobhan and her husband and headed for the bus station.  This trip had been a real eye-opener for Molly and she had actually enjoyed herself.  Any concerns she had about being in Dublin were dashed.  While she missed the comfort and quiet of her small town, this had been a wonderful weekend.

“Molly, I hope you had a good time this weekend,”  Kevin queried.

“Kevin, it was wonderful.  Such a treat for me, and I loved getting to meet your family and friends.  This is definitely something I'd consider doing again.  I do hope you invite me back,” Molly answered.

As they parked the car near the station, Kevin had suddenly gotten very quiet.

“Is something wrong?”  Molly asked.

“I just don't want to mess this one up.  I mean...I...Molly...you are very important to me.  I don't want to loose you,”  Kevin fumbled with his words.

“Kevin, I'm not going anywhere but back to Kilmore Quay.  And if I'm correct, you are coming to visit next weekend,” Molly was getting nervous with Kevin's stammering.

Kevin reached into his pocket as he started again, “I just wanted to give this to you.”

Molly was a little nervous knowing Kevin's impulsiveness, but had to smile when she saw what Kevin was giving her.  Out of his pocket he pulled a silver charm bracelet with one charm on it – a sailboat.

“It's not much, but I wanted you to keep this as a memory of your visit and know how much you mean to me,” Kevin finished his speech out of breath.

“It's absolutely beautiful, Kevin,” Molly smiled as Kevin put the delicate bracelet on her wrist.  A sign that he was not being too compulsive, but still very caring. She appreciated both the thought and his feelings.  She had come to feel the same, but was still hesitant about sharing her emotions with Kevin. 

Their goodbye said it all as they kissed and embraced for a long time before Molly headed onto the bus.  It would be a long week waiting until they were able to meet up in Kilmore Quay, but the memories of this weekend would hold them as they waited. 

On the bus ride home, Molly ran through all that had happened and often looked at her new bracelet as a fond memory to keep these good times close at hand.

#14 The Quay

It was a beautiful clear day and the ride up the hill to Howth Head lead to an amazing view across Dublin Bay.  Ireland's Eye was sparkling in the sunlight, and the Wicklow Mountains hazy shadows loomed behind across the shore.  Molly and Kevin stood together quietly for a while with Kevin's arm around Molly's shoulder just contemplating the view.  Kilmore Quay was a bit flatter and didn't have this kind of view that Molly was enjoying so much.

As they came down from Howth Head Kevin headed north out of Dublin to the Malahide Castle and grounds.  Situated not far from the coastline with beautifully manicured gardens, the two walked for what seemed like hours through the lush foliage.  Their quiet conversation was casual and they stopped often to talk about the gardens.  Kevin had quite the interest in the gardens of Ireland and had visited many of them.  He explained to Molly that if they had ventured to Powerscourt, they might never come back before dark.  Locally that was his favorite. 

Molly explained to Kevin about all the gardens in Wexford and how so many were also linked to castles, suggesting that they could make a day trip at some point during the winter when they were not sailing.  Kevin looked forward to this. 

The evening would be spent in city center again with Kevin's friends, although Kevin noted that Erin had texted him saying she was unable to make the get together that night.  Molly breathed a sigh of relief not relishing another go round with Erin.  If she did come to Kilmore Quay for that outing, that would be more than Molly would want to handle. 

When Kevin and Molly met up in Temple Bar with Matt, Julianna and Damon, they were already inside the pub with seats saved.  Molly was surprised that they were so excited about the weekend trip to Kilmore Quay that they had already started talking about when they would plan this trip and how it would work out.  They had already been checking out B&Bs in the area and some self-catering cottages that would be available for a long weekend stay.  Molly was glad she could add her knowledge of the area and recommendations for the best places.  While it was still quite a while away, the group realized that come some good weather, reservations would be difficult to come by.

Molly was elated to hear all this enthusiasm.  She knew that there would have to be a lot of planning on her end to block off a weekend where this group would be her priority.  Campfires on the beach, days out sailing, and some sightseeing also would tax her organization skills.  The group had already decided to rent a van for the trip so they could all ride together where ever they went, and it would also fit the girls' luggage. Although Julianna announced that she could pack as frugally as any of the lads in the group.  Matt countered with the fact that he would need at least to suitcases for all his clothes changes that weekend.  The date would be chosen after the first of the year when everyone could have a better look at their work calendars.

Kevin watched how well Molly fit into this group all during the evening.  She was confident and friendly and almost seemed like she had known this group for ages.  Molly loved how welcoming this group of Kevin's friends had been to her and looked forward to the possibility of meeting up with them again.  Other than her experience with Erin, this trip was well worth it.

The night came to an end much quicker than any of the group had expected.  Their excited conversation had used up most of the evening.  Kevin and Molly bid good-night to all and walked the block back to the car hand in hand. 

“I have to say, Kevin, that I was a bit hesitant about this weekend trip, but it has been such fun and a joy to meet your friends,”  Molly explained.

“It's been great to see you interact with all of them and my family too, Molly.  Maybe I just did something right this time,” Kevin had a look of confidence about his statement.

“Are you saying you've done a lot wrong?” Molly queried.

“No, just I've not always made the best of decisions in my life.  This one was a good one,”  Kevin turned to Molly and kissed her on the cheek.  “Tomorrow we're going to make a quick visit to my sister's before I drop you off at the bus for your trip home.  She's the one who pushed me into all these sailing lessons, you know,”  Kevin smiled as he thought back to how all this had started.

#13 The Quay

The rest of that evening went quickly and Kevin took Molly back to the B&B never even realizing what all had happened between Molly and Erin.  Molly was a big girl and figured she had handled herself well and had gotten on fine with the rest of the group.

“Remember tomorrow afternoon we're going to have lunch with my mum and granny.  That will give you a chance to sleep in some and have a bit of breakfast here at the B&B,” Kevin explained to Molly as he leaned over to kiss her goodnight.

“I probably won't be sleeping too late, but might take a bit of a walk around tomorrow morning.  That always gets me ready for the day,”  Molly smiled back as she turned and entered the B&B for the night. 

The next morning Molly quickly dressed and stopped in the breakfast room for some freshly baked scones, a plate of fruit and some tea.  She usually didn't each too much for breakfast and this was just perfect.  Having the added treat of freshly baked scones was only something her mum had done for her on occasion. 

When she was finished she headed out the door for a walk to the National Botanic Gardens to see the glass houses with all the foliage around.  Since this was winter, there were few flowers in bloom, but the glass houses held thousands of samples of what would be coming in the future.  The fragrance of the mulch and greenery brought her back home since she was a bit too far to walk to the bay.  The walk didn't take long and she was back at the B&B with plenty of time to get ready for lunch with Kevin and his family. 

She no sooner came down the stairs dressed and ready when she saw Kevin pull up in front of the B&B.  She wondered why his car was empty as she had expected to see his mum and granny with him.

“Where's you mum and granny?” Molly queried as she came out the door.

“We 're going to meet them at the restaurant, as I have some other plans for us today, and they didn't want to run around doing sightseeing with us,” Kevin chuckled.

“I knew you would be missing the water, so we're going to meet out at Howth for lunch, right on Dublin Bay. And definitely a short ride up to the top of Howth Head for a good look over to the Wicklows and Ireland's Eye. I'm hoping the fog will not catch up with us today,”  Kevin explained, obviously taking in Molly's interests in their sightseeing.

Kevin traveled the road over to Clontarf which would lead them all along the inlet of the bay out to Howth.  Not many boats strayed into this area, but there were plenty of fishermen out in the shallows early today.  Molly enjoyed the ride and the scenery.  Kevin explained that they would be going to eat at King Sitric, his granny's favorite seafood restaurant.  And being on the pier, that Molly would probably like it also.

They arrived about a half hour early and took a walk out to the lighthouse at the end of the pier and back.  The seals were begging for tidbits all along the way and seemed to want to come up on the pier to play.  Molly's guess was that fishermen were throwing scraps from the fish they cleaned as they brought their catch in for the day spoiling these playful seals.

As they arrived back, Kevin noticed his mum's car so they headed into the King Sitric's restaurant.  The smell of fish was all around and so familiar to Molly. Just like Kilmore Quay.  And here they were just thirty minutes out of city center.  What a surprise this was to her.

Kevin's mun and granny could not have been more accommodating.  They were open and friendly from the moment Molly sat down.  Molly had guessed that Kevin had been talking openly with them about her, and that they were very happy he had found someone to spend his time with.  They asked loads of questions about Kilmore Quay, and Kevin's mum even mentioned that she was familiar with Molly's dad and his accomplishments in sailing. 

The food was delicious, and the lunch time passed so quickly that Molly felt she could sit there much longer having this wonderful conversation.  She did notice that Kevin sat back for most of the time just watching and only joining in occasionally.  The lunch ended after they all had a fresh fruit sorbet, and Molly was hugged as generously by both Kevin's mum and granny as they hugged Kevin.  All said parting goodbyes, with invitations for Molly to visit again, more often. 

“I think that went well,” Kevin mused as he waved to the departing car.

“Your mum and granny are wonderful,”  Molly commented.

“They obviously like you a lot.  I've never seen them so excited about someone that I've introduced them to before, Kevin answered.

“And have you introduced them to many girls?” Molly chided.

“Only Erin...” Kevin responded thoughtfully.  “Come on, we've lots to do this afternoon.  Time to get going.”

#12 The Quay

Molly could tell how excited Kevin was to introduce her to his friends.  He barely stopped talking in the car on the way to the pub.  She smiled as he talked about each of his friends trying to give her a bit of knowledge about them before they met.  Up until this time he had never really talked much about Dublin, or his friends when they were together.  Molly tried to keep all this information organized in her mind.  Matt was the jokester, Juliana was shy, Damon was a sports fanatic, and Erin was friendly and an old friend.

Molly thought it was a little strange that Kevin mentioned Erin as an “old friend” and was curious about Kevin's wording.

“Kevin,” she asked, “When you say old friend are you talking about an old girl friend?”

“Well, actually,” Kevin hesitated as he tried to state this matter of fact, “Erin and I did date for a while.  Nothing serious though.”

Molly knew that “nothing serious” for a male, did not necessarily mean the same thing for a woman.  Was there something more here?

“So how long do you consider 'for a while', Kevin?” Molly would gather a lot from this answer.

Kevin hesitated, then answered, “Oh, maybe for about a year, or so. We stopped dating last spring.”

Molly knew very well that Erin would be the one to watch out for.  If they stopped dating last spring, that would have been just before Kevin started traveling to Kilmore Quay for sailing lessons.  This was definitely going to be an interesting evening.

Kevin pulled into a parking lot next to an old brick building.  As they exited the car Molly could hear the music from inside.  They walked around to the front of the building and entered through old wooden doors that looked like they had come from an ancient castle.

Kevin guided Molly to a spot he knew well.  It was the place this group had been meeting since college days.  Everyone looked up as they arrived at the snug in the corner and began to scoot around so that Kevin and Molly could join them.

Molly felt all eyes on her, and was not accustomed to this kind of scrutiny.  She tried to keep her calm demeanor through introductions and the many questions that the group had for her.  Quite a few were about sailing, and living in the small village of Kilmore Quay.  The sailing questions she felt very comfortable with and answered easily.  It was difficult to justify to people who lived in a big city why anyone would want to live in a small village,  but Molly tried her best. During this entire time she noticed how intently Erin was watching her.

As luck would have it, Erin ended up sitting next to Kevin.  Between intently watching Molly, she seemed to move ever so closely to Kevin as the night went on.  Kevin didn't seem to notice as he was busy in conversation with Damon about the upcoming rugby game.  Molly noticed, and Erin noticed that Molly noticed.  This was making Molly very uncomfortable and after a drink she excused herself to the toilet.

She no sooner had gathered herself together and was washing her hands in the sink when Erin entered the room.

“So you've taken our Kevin away from us,”  Erin stated.

Erin, “I've done no such thing. Kevin makes all of his own choices.”  Molly was going to hold her ground here.  She knew Erin was not over whatever relationship she had with Kevin.

“I guess that means that if I want to be close to Kevin, I'll have to sign up to take sailing lessons with you down south,”  Erin's voice was getting a little terse at this point.

“Erin, that's between you and Kevin. I'd be glad to have another private client.  I don't do group training sessions, so you would be on your own with me,” Molly wanted to make her position clear hoping Erin would get the point.  Erin turned and left the room, but not before flashing Molly an envious look that meant she had something up her sleeves.

As Molly returned to the table she noticed that Erin was now pretty much leaning on Kevin's one shoulder and he was not pushing her away.  So typical of a man.  They just don't get it.

“Molly, Erin just mentioned to me that she might be interested in taking some sailing lessons.  Could we do that together?”  Kevin had no idea what he was getting into.

Molly was prepared and had an even better idea to quash Erin's attempt to override Molly's rules. “Kevin, I was thinking it would be a great time if all of this group could take a weekend trip down to Kilmore Quay and we could take the big yacht out around the Saltees with you as skipper.  We could do a beach barbecue and all,”  Molly smiled at Erin as she said this.

Damon and Matt immediately thought this would be wonderful.  Juliana smiled at the idea and nodded her head.  Erin muttered a quiet “okay” and didn't say much more all evening.  The conversation turned to all that the group would be able to do during a sailing weekend and Kevin mentioned some of the local pubs, B&Bs, and sights that would be a fun getaway for them all.  Molly had felt she had won this round, but knew Erin would not let up if she was after Kevin.

#11 The Quay

The big day finally arrived for Molly's weekend trip to Dublin.  Molly had packed and repacked several times, unsure about what to take and what to wear to be presented to Kevin's friends.  She was by nature, a very casual girl.  Dressing up for a friend's wedding was about the only time she wore anything other than jeans or shorts.  Deck shoes were her daily wear.  So when she had the chance she made a trip up to Wexford Town to do a little shopping for this trip.  Since this was the edge of winter weather, she bought a new coat and some nice boots to wear.  A longer wool skirt, a couple of new sweaters, and a new pair of jeans rounded out her shopping trip.  This was more than she had spend on herself in ages.

Molly didn't want to look like a country girl, but didn't want to be over dressed for any occasion.  Her suitcase was packed with more than she needed, but she was worried about not being prepared for any surprises that weekend.

As she walked down to the bus stop in Kilmore Quay, she had so many second thoughts running through her head.  Maybe this was a mistake. What if it all went wrong?  What if Kevin's friends didn't like her?  She had never really ventured far from the Quay and was feeling very uncomfortable. 

Molly forged ahead and boarded the bus for Wexford Town. There were only a few other people, so she sat alone with her thoughts.  Watching the countryside go by, she felt more at peace with herself and in a short time arrived at the Wexford bus station.  There was only a short wait for the Dublin bus and not much time to second guess herself.  Before she knew it she was on her way to Dublin. 

Rolling hillsides flew by, and country roads opened up to major highways leading the road north.  Even on the highway she could enjoy the views of the pasture land out the window.  The afternoon ride north on a Friday was only half full this fall day.  It was quiet and gave Molly time to think.  Her thoughts wandered from how Kilmore Quay felt so small in relation to even Wexford.  How would it feel in comparison to Dublin?  Would she feel lost?  And what about Kevin?  How did she really feel about him?  Was this some sort of fantasy her mind was playing on her?  Did she have some deeper feelings that even she knew at this point?  She was full of questions about Kevin and herself.  What was she doing?

The outskirts of Dublin were in view and traffic slowed as is the norm entering the city.  The Wexford bus drop off was at George Quay by the Custom House. This was only a few blocks from where Kevin worked and not as busy as stops across the way at this time of the day.  Friday seemed to be a day when most young workers left early in the day to start the weekend.  Kevin did warn Molly that he might be a few minutes late, so she settled herself on a bench next to the bus stop to wait.  It was barely a few minutes when she felt a tap on her shoulder.  As she turned Kevin pulled her up for a huge hug and gentle welcome kiss. 

“How was the trip?” he asked.

“I'm not sure I could describe it, I had so many thoughts running through my mind and was not necessarily paying attention to all the views out the window,” Molly chuckled.

"Well, let's get you settled into your B&B and then we're going out for the evening.  We need to catch the #16 to Whitehall.  I'm only about 2 blocks from there, so while you are getting settled in, I'll go home to change out of this suit into something more comfortable for this evening and I'll come back and pick you up with my car,” Kevin explained as he took her suitcase in hand and lead her to the Dublin bus stop. 

The Almanii B&B was just a short walk from the #16 bus stop. It was a lovely B&B not too far from Dublin University.  Molly was sure this is why Kevin lived where he did. He was probably still living in the same flat he did when he attended the University.  It was a lovely B&B with old world charm.  Kevin waited until Molly got her room key, then headed home himself to change and pick up his car.  As most Dubliners, he took public transit to work daily rather than use his car.  Molly freshened up and changed her sweater.  Kevin had told her this would be a very casual evening with some of his friends at a nearby pub, so jeans would be perfect. She waited in the sitting room until she saw his car out front.  With her nerves barely at bay, she headed out the door for the evening.

#10 The Quay

Molly pulled back slightly from Kevin and looked at him closely. He, in turn, was looking right back with a slightly startled look on his face that turned into a smile.

“Okay, so what now?” he asked. He was letting Molly take the lead in this, as she was the one who initiated this response to his first kiss.

“What now? I don't know,” Molly was looking for some lead from Kevin as much as he was looking for it from her.

“Good thing, because I don't know either,” Kevin answered, and they both started laughing at this dilemma they found themselves in as they kissed again.

It was obvious that they had slowly been developing a close relationship that neither of them had really thought about until this night.

“Molly, is there any way you can get away one weekend this winter and come to Dublin? I would love to introduce you to my family and friends,” Kevin thought it was time to bring Molly to meet his family. They had been asking many questions about why he was spending all his weekends at Kilmore Quay.

“I would guess if you were my only client, that would mean I don't have any other obligation for a weekend, I should be able to make it to Dublin,” Molly smiled at Kevin's suggestion. “You would have to give up lessons that weekend.”

Kevin chuckled at Molly's comment, “I'm sure one weekend without sailing lessons will not affect my skills. Then we're set? Maybe we can work out a weekend tomorrow. Now, can I walk you home? Seeing as we have kissed I would think that would allow me at least that.”

Molly agreed and Kevin walked her to her cottage. It was the first time he had seen it, and was surprised at how quaint Molly's cottage was. The whitewashed front looked toward the beach, and evening had even taken on a bit of a chill coming off the water. He would not expect Molly to live in anything different. This suited her perfectly.

Kevin's shyness would not let him push the situation beyond a good night kiss and a plan to meet back at the cottage for breakfast the next morning. Molly felt comfortable making some breakfast and thought this would be a nice, non-threatening situation for her. She was always worried she would burn a great dinner and scare a prospective suitor off. She was a simple eater, and often would just make herself a bap, or stop at the chipper on the way home at the end of the day. Then there were days when she eagerly stopped by her parents for a hearty dinner.

The next morning Molly had the tea on first and ready for when Kevin arrived. He was right on time. Molly was just finishing the eggs and sausage so she shouted a quick “come on in” as she plated the breakfast adding the main course to the brown bread and butter on the table.

“It's been a while since I've had more than a cuppa and a scone for breakfast,” Kevin explained. “Except that is, when I'm here on the weekends at the B&B. I feel like I eat more than I should when I'm down here.”

“I'm sure you burn it all off when you are out sailing with me,” Molly teased back.

As they sat down to eat their conversation was casual and they talked about the plan for Molly to make a trip to Dublin within the next couple of weeks. Kevin would make sure that Molly had a guest house or B&B to stay in that was comfortable and close to where he lived on the outskirts of the city in Clontarf. If Molly took the Wexford Bus, she could go directly to the city center and Kevin would meet her there. The trip only took about two and a half hours, so Molly could leave Kilmore Friday afternoon for Wexford, then catch the direct bus to Dublin City Center where Kevin would meet her when he got off work.

Little by little their plan came together. Kevin was excited that he would be able to share his home town with Molly and show her off to his friends and family. Molly was looking forward to this, but still had some hesitations in being in the big city and meeting all these new people.

#9 The Quay

Molly treated her relationship with Kevin as a friendship. They got along so well she never really thought of him any other way. It was possible that she did this on purpose. No commitment meant she could not be hurt, as she had seen happen to so many of her friends. But as the weeks progressed she realized that there was a very special bond growing between them. Kevin was not pushing the situation. He seemed to sense the limitations that Molly had put on their relationship, but also seemed a bit shy when it came to women and having Molly as a friend. The fact that he was only in Kilmore Quay on the weekends helped him deal with this.

As the summer and autumn passed and the weather turned cooler, there would be no more sailing lessons during the winter weather. Molly figured that Kevin would end his weekend trips to the quay and she would not see him again, or at least until spring weather allowed them to go out sailing again.

On their last weekend together Molly found out she was in for a surprise. As they sat at the bar with their drinks Kevin began the conversation.

“I guess this is the end of my sailing lessons for this year?” Kevin shrugged as he spoke.

“The weather is so unpredictable, Kevin, and even the area between here and the Saltees could get so rough that it's not safe to go out. There might be days that would work, but we can't plan on it being good an any specific weekend. I'd hate for you to travel down here and be stuck on land all weekend,” Molly was just being her pragmatic self. “Besides, as it gets closer to December the weather for sailing gets very cold.”

“I do understand all that, Molly. What I'm thinking is that I've really come to enjoy these weekends down here in Kilmore, and was thinking I might still be interested in coming to visit,” Kevin took a deep breath as he stumbled through his comments. He met Molly's eyes with a questioned look on his face.

Molly was totally stunned and didn't know how to respond. Was Kevin asking about coming to visit her? What did he want? She needed to say something and not leave Kevin with that strange questioning look on his face.

“Um..Umm, Kevin, I have to say I'm quite surprised,” Molly stuttered as she tried to find something to say. Of course it's fine for you to come back to Kilmore when you are not taking sailing lessons. It's a free world.” Maybe she should have left that last part out as she thought to herself.

Kevin took a big breath and figured it was now or never, “Molly, I'm not just coming down here because I like Kilmore, which I do. I'd be coming to see you.” As Kevin finished he realized he was now looking at the floor too embarrassed to see the look on Molly's face.

“Kevin, I never realized that you felt that way. I know we've become very good friends over the last couple of months and have a great time together on weekends. I've also realized how much I'm going to miss those times this winter. It would be great to spend time on land with you. In fact, you really haven't seen much of the area around here. I'd love to take some of what would be sailing time and take you around.” Molly was in her tour guide mode for lack of knowing what more to do.

Kevin's look brightened up when he heard Molly's response, but was still very unsure about how Molly felt. Was she just being nice to him? They toasted the new weekend plan and ordered more drinks. Neither of them was a big drinker, so it didn't take much for them to start to feel the effects of the alcohol. Molly's friends at the pub had accepted Kevin as one of them so they stopped being so protective of Molly as they used to.

As they both became more relaxed Kevin moved closer to Molly and brushed her hair back off of her shoulder gently touching her cheek. Molly was not sure how this all happened so quickly, but gave in to the tingly feeling she was having and leaned forward to Kevin with his hand slipping ever so slightly behind her neck and nudging her closer to him. All this ending in a simple and gentle kiss.

Molly pulled away as her face flushed. Kevin was sure he had stepped over the line until Molly took his hand and led him just outside the pub door, out of sight of the regulars.

“Not inside,” she whispered as they were quickly outside the door. Just as they were clear of eyesight of the pub, she turned so quickly to Kevin that he practically ran into her as she put her arms around his neck for a passionate kiss which he returned eagerly wrapping his arms around her waist.

It was then that Molly and Kevin realized what had been happening between them over the last couple of months, and that this something was just the beginning.

#8 The Quay

The next day Molly set a course for Kevin south around Hook Head skirting the coast as they sailed. During this time she realized that what Kevin needed was more experience in reading ocean currents and wind patterns and how to adjust for them. While he seemed comfortable enough sailing in the calm waters around Kilmore Quay and the Saltees, once out in the ocean currents, he was more tentative and needed more assistance in sailing.

Kevin realized this also and was anxious to learn even more about dealing with the currents and winds in a sloop. He knew if he was ever to master his sailing skills, he needed to spend a lot more time under the instruction of Molly. For the time being he planned to set aside every weekend he could to make the trip to Kilmore and work on sailing.

During their sailing time Kevin and Molly also got to know each other better. There were no pretenses between them. Out on the water Molly was instructor and Kevin was the student, but when sailing was calm and Kevin was comfortably in control, their conversations turned more personal.

“You should come spend a weekend up in Dublin sometime, Molly,” Kevin mentioned during one conversation. “I'd love to take you around to some of my favorite spots.”

“That would be nice Kevin, but it's difficult to get away from here with having the sail shop, and lessons,” Molly replied, reluctant to explore the big city.

“There must be times when business is slow enough that someone could handle the shop for you, and when you don't have weekend instructions during the winter,” Kevin was surprised at Molly's reluctance to come to Dublin. A weekend get away to Dublin was cherished by so many of his out of town friends.

“I'll think about it,” Molly answered, showing little interest in traveling anywhere that didn't have water or sailing involved.

“Have you ever gone to watch any of the sailing races?” Kevin questioned.

“Not as an adult. The last race my father competed in I watched with my mother,” Molly answered. “Since then I really haven't gone to see any.”

“What about the Race Around the Island? I hear that's a great race to watch,” Kevin was startled to hear Molly's response.

“Oh, around the Isle of Wight?” Molly smiled. “Are you thinking of entering?”

“I need to own my own yacht first,” Kevin laughed. “Not to ignore the fact I also need a crew.”

Through this conversation Kevin was trying to see where Molly's interests lie. Why was she so attached to Kilmore Quay? With her experience why did she not follow in her father's footsteps and enter competitions? Her skills for sailing were amazing and she had the ability to do well. What was holding her back?

“Molly, do you think I'm ready for something larger than this sloop? I would like to develop some skills with something of a yacht. I notice that you have one docked at the quay. Do you every go out in it?” Kevin was showing his interest in moving ahead with his instruction.

“Yes, that is my yacht. I take out tourists on day trips during the summer months. If you are coming for another weekend next week, we can take that one out. I'd be interested to see how you handle it in the calm waters first before we head into open ocean. With the larger size and weight it does handle differently,” Molly was curious as to Kevin wanting to move to a larger boat.

“I'm booked at the B&B for the next three weeks. If you have time to book lessons for me, I'll be ready,” Kevin smiled as he brought the sloop back into the quay for the day.

Molly found that she looked forward to Kevin's weekend visits. He was an easy learner, even in the yacht, and shared her passion for the water. The following weekends they spent time on land studying ocean currents and sailing maps so that Kevin had a well rounded knowledge of sailing. He had a natural instinct and adapted his land lessons quickly to being out on the water.

Kevin and Molly spent most weekend evenings together at Kehoe's also. She had found a kindred soul. Someone who shared her passion for the water. She listened intently as Kevin talked about his dreams for sailing. She had heard this so many time before. Here in Kilmore Quay she was able to eek out a modest living with the sail shop, instructions, and tourist trips. It was not an easy life, but most rewarding for Molly. She couldn't imagine Kevin spending his life sailing and not working for a living, unless he was independently wealthy. Their conversations lead her to believe he was not. Was he just a big dreamer?

#7 The Quay

When Molly arrived home she suddenly realized that she had no clue what to wear that evening. While it was a casual dinner, she was starting to feel it was more like a date, and became a little panicked. How long had it been since she had been on a date? Her entire life had been so involved with the sail shop that she never really thought about it. Since her friends had given up on trying to set her up, it had been months since she had the opportunity to have dinner with someone.

Oh, of course, there were the lads she would sit and chat with at the pub when she stopped by for a pint after a long day on the water. But they all knew her, and most were spoken for anyway. She felt very comfortable around them and could have a laugh or two while she washed away the salt water feel from being out with customers. This was the first time one of her customers asked her to join them.

Eventually she changed into a pair of black slacks, and a lightweight blue knit sweater with a silk scarf around her neck. Kehoe's was as casual as you could get in Kilmore, so, other than the fact that she didn't have jeans on, she was considered dressed up. She pulled her long dark hair back at the base of her neck, which was pretty much the way she wore it from day to day. There was going to be no major fussing for this lad. One last glimpse in the mirror, and she headed off for the pub.

As Molly entered Kehoe's she spotted Kevin at the bar. He was deep in conversation with several of the locals, and seemed to fit right in. Molly had to remind herself that Kevin was a salesman and blessed with that gift of gab, so this was his forte. She strolled up quietly behind him to see if she could catch the gist of the chat.

Before she had a chance to listen in, Billy Malloy, who was seated sideways on a bar stool listening to Kevin caught sight of her and winked. Kevin caught this and quickly turned around. He was wearing a light blue Polo with the collar up and navy chinos. You would have thought the two of them had coordinated their outfits. The looked at each other and began to laugh along with Billy and Eoin (pronounced Owen) Mahaffey who sat on the other side of Kevin.

“Two minds thinking alike!” Kevin kidded as he smiled at Molly.

“At least I wore a scarf,” responded Molly smiling with a slight blush.

By the time Kevin turned around to order a drink for Molly, there was one sitting on the bar for her. Sean, the bartender, knew that Molly liked to sip on a shot of Tullamore Dew with just a touch of water. It would last her hours if she was busy in conversation. Molly was a careful drinker. She had watched too many of her friends over imbibe and carry on. This was not her style. She always wondered why she never relaxed enough to let herself go like they did. Just not her way.

After some short chat with Billy and Eoin, Molly and Kevin headed for a table where they could sit and order dinner. They found a quiet snug and settled in. Dinner would be today's catch, fresh and tasty, with some spuds and a root vegetable. Nothing fancy for Molly. This was regular fare for her. Kevin seemed to enjoy this hearty meal as he also totally consumed the homemade brown bread put on the table for them as they ate.

“I guess I worked up a pretty big appetite after today's sail,” he explained as he cleaned his plate.

“Nothing like the fresh sea air to do that,” agreed Molly as she sipped her whiskey and nodded across the room to Sean that she'd like another. She knew well that her friends at the bar would be looking out for her with this stranger they knew very little about. It was a small fishing village and they all looked out for each other. Kevin was surprised as Sean stopped by the snug to drop off both a drink for Molly and a refill for Kevin.

Molly explained to Kevin, “My friends know me well and they do look after me.”

“Something I guess I should remember,” Kevin acknowledged as he raised his glass in a toast to Molly. “Slainte.”

Kevin and Molly sat and talked for quite a while after they had finished dinner. This gave Molly the chance to learn more about Kevin and his strong ties to the Dublin area. In exchange, Kevin was able to learn the same about Molly. With the time slipping away, Molly reminded Kevin that they did have a sailing lesson the next morning and needed to get plenty of rest as she was going to expand his experiences well out into the open sea the next day. Kevin offered to walk Molly home, but she explained that she was quite capable of getting there herself, and bid a casual good night leaving Kevin leaning on the doorway of Kehoe's watching her walk down the road.

#6 The Quay

Saturday morning arrived and Kevin was waiting outside the sail shop as Molly arrived.

“I know, I'm early. But I can't wait to get out on the water. It's been too long and I'm afraid that I've forgotten everything I learned,” Kevin looked like a child ready to open gifts on Christmas morning.

“Well then as soon as I grab my gear and put my note on the door, I'll be ready to go too,” Molly chuckled as she let herself in the shop.

The morning was clear and cool, Fall had not started to bite into the air yet and autumn was the season for the best sailing around Kilmore Quay. The two headed out and set a course to sail around the Saltee Islands. With comfortable conversation sprinkled with instruction on Molly's part, the morning passed quickly. Once again Molly was how surprised she enjoyed sailing with Kevin along. He had plenty of questions about things he should be doing, but took to the instructions quickly, and Molly was pleased that she could actually allow Kevin to take control and watch as he maneuvered the sloop around the islands.

Since this was a whole day lesson, Molly had packed sandwiches for lunch with some lemonade for the two of them. They ate and talked about sailing as they sailed into a small cove to take some time for lunch. Kevin devoured his sandwich and could not wait to get to the cookies that Molly brought for dessert. Once they were done they headed out of the cove with the light breeze into the open water.

All was fine until they were suddenly dead in the water with no breeze to catch their sails. It had been a while since Molly had been around this side of the islands and she had forgotten how the wind would suddenly disappear. This was a good lesson for Kevin as he was stymied when the sails dropped like sheets out to dry on a calm day.

“Molly, I think I'm in trouble here. What ever do I do when there is no wind for the sails?” Kevin looked a little panicked.

Molly laughed as she moved from where she was seated at the back of the sloop, “Did you forget the motor located back here?”

Molly started the motor and positioned the sloop back in line to catch the wind. Within a few minutes they were out of the dead area with the sails full and the motor cut.

“Somehow I get the feeling that you set me up for this?” Kevin turned questioning Molly.

“Kevin, it's been a while since I've been round this side of the islands. Most of my lessons never get this far. I hate to admit it, but I totally forgot about that dead zone until it happened. I don't know if you realized it, or not, but I always make sure there is petrol in the engine just in case. A good lesson to learn,” Molly smiled as she finished her explanation.

The two of them laughed as they headed back to shore. Now is where Kevin's lessons took a turn as usually at this point students say good-bye to Molly and they are done. Since Kevin wanted to learn more, Molly decided that he need to understand the implications of taking care of a sloop, so she had him help with the clean up and storing of the equipment for the day. She was waiting for a groan of complaint, but none came. Like her, he treated this as part of his instruction and worked beside her continuing their friendly banter.

As they walked back toward the shop Kevin seemed to want to say something, but hesitated in his conversation.

“I know this is.... I wanted to ask you....”

“Is there something wrong, Kevin?” Molly was confused as to what Kevin was trying to ask.

“Oh, hell..would you like to to out to dinner with me?” he blurted out almost shouting.

Molly was flustered with his question. She didn't have a policy about not dating her students, but she had never needed one.

Kevin continued, “I was just thinking that since I don't really know anyone here, and that since we seemed to get along so well together today, that it might be nice to have some good company for dinner.”

“Kevin, I'm very flattered that you would ask. I have enjoyed our time together today and I think having some dinner together would be a nice change,” Molly surprised herself with her response.

“I was thinking the Silver Fox might be a good place. I passed it when I was making my reservations at The Quay House. Or do you know of a better place in town?” Kevin seemed very open to suggestions.

“There is a pub that has pretty good seafood, if that's what you'd like. It's called Kehoe's. A little more friendly and casual than the Silver Fox. How does that sound to you?” Molly was hoping to make this a very casual dinner rather than something dressy.

“That sounds perfect!” Kevin was delighted to hear that Molly would prefer the pub. It would have been his first suggestion, but he didn't want to seem crude after asking Molly to dinner.

Molly wanted to go home and changed into some fresh clothes, so they both agreed to meet at the bar in Kehoe's.

#5 The Quay

Molly was not one to turn away business and if this was THE Kevin O'Brien that she had met previously, there was no reason not to do the lessons. She had enjoyed his company when they first met, and knew he would be a good student. The reservations were made for two weeks later for the weekend. Molly set the date in her calendar and went on about her regular business for the next two weeks.

Friday arrived and as Molly walked up from the dock when she finished her afternoon lesson and waiting on the bench next to the shop door holding her note was Kevin O'Brien. He was relaxed, reading the local paper, as he looked over the top edge to greet her as she arrived at the door.

“Bet you never thought you'd see me again,” he chuckled.

“I never bet on whether clients will be back or not. I just hope they have learned what I have taught them and put it to good use. So did you impress your boss?” Molly was curious.

“Oh, that. Actually I did fine. He was very impressed. I didn't get the promotion and ended up leaving that firm and got another job. But I never forgot how much I enjoyed my time sailing and told everyone about it every chance I had,” Kevin explained.

“I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself. It's a shame you didn't get that promotion,” Molly was still wondering about Kevin's motives.

“Yeah, I guess I was talking about it so much that when my birthday came my sister called you and purchased more lessons for me!” he laughed.

It was at this point that Molly was finally putting it all together. A great birthday gift. She would have to add that to her website as an idea to build up some business during slower times.

“But you are early,” Molly queried.

“Oh, I know. I wanted to just stop by and ask if you had any ideas of places that I could look to let on a regular basis on the weekends. I'm thinking I might like to extend my sister's gift and start taking more lessons on weekends until I become more proficient,” Kevin smiled at Molly as he said the word “proficient”.

“Kevin, the only problem with that is most of the cottages down here let by the week only. If you were planning on only the weekends you might be better with the local hotel, The Saltee Hotel (http://www.hotelsaltees.ie/), or the Quay House B&B (http://www.quayhouse.net/),” Molly explained.

“Well then, I'm off to check both of those locations to see what I can set up, and I'll be back in the morning for my lesson,” Kevin acknowledged Molly's suggestion and turned and was off.

Molly took the time she had to grab a snack and take care of some business in the sail shop. Besides lessons, she also had to make sure she had adequate supplies for sailing and for others who came into the area to sail. She also carried a small inventory of hats and shirts that had the Callahan Sail Shop logo and were given to customers who booked a week's worth of lessons, or those who just wanted to purchase the items.

Molly was a business woman and knew how important it was to keep her business in the forefront and continue to bring customers in for sailing lessons and for purchasing supplies at the shop. Even thinking about the fact that Kevin was so pleased with his new sailing acumen that he wanted to come back for more lessons was a testament to Molly's skills.

#4 The Quay

As one o'clock arrived so did Molly's new customer full of enthusiasm. He was much more cordial since their earlier meeting and ready for his lesson.

“I guess it might be nice if we knew each other's names,” Molly started. “I'm Molly Callahan.”

“Oh I know who you are,” the man responded. “You came very highly recommended as a sailing instructor. I'm Kevin O'Brien. Nice to meet you.”

“Alright then, let's get a move on, time won't wait for us,” Molly chirped to Keven and they set out for the dock.

Once out on the water Molly started Kevin with some sailing vocabulary to help him gain some confidence. Kevin was a quick study and took to the sloop like a natural. It was not long before Molly gave him some control of the boat and he was beaming with his new found skills. He still had a lot to learn, but she was sure with this lesson and another one the next day, he would do well with his boss.

As they docked the boat a few hours later Molly had to admit that she actually enjoyed this day. Besides the instruction she gave Kevin, they had a few moments to share some general chat about sailing and he was full of questions as to her sailing experience. This was the first time she had met someone who genuinely wanted to talk about sailing. She chalked this up to him being a salesman and knowing how to talk to people.

As they arrived back at the Sail Shop Kevin checked his phone and realized he had missed an important message. He stepped outside to take the call, but even at that separation Molly could tell in his voice he was quite concerned about something. At one point she could hear him say, “I'm on my way”.

“I'm really sorry I can't stay for a lesson tomorrow, Molly. Something has come up and I have to head back to Dublin immediately,” Kevin explained. “I do want to tell you that I really appreciate all you have done and that I had a great time today.”

“I'm sorry you won't have time to catch up for another lesson to make sure you can deal sailing with your boss next week. I enjoyed the day out also.” Molly replied a little sad that she would not have a customer the next afternoon.

Molly watched as Kevin drove off thinking that once she got to know him a little this was a very interesting man. Other than that she really didn't have another thought about him except to hope that she helped him so he did well with his boss and got his promotion.

As the days went by Molly was busy with her summer customers. Old and new, experienced and novices alike, she tried to make sure they all enjoyed themselves and learned about sailing by the Quay. On a slow day her dad would stop by and they might go out for a few hours. Peter missed sailing and when he got a chance he did not let it slip by. Molly loved going out with her dad. It was a time that when either of them were down in the dumps they could share, and sail to their heart's content.

As summer weather started to cool a bit Molly was surprised to get a call from a young woman one day asking about setting up a weekend sail lesson for someone named Kevin O'Brien. Molly had all but forgotten about Kevin until then and thought it odd for a woman to be calling and setting up the lessons. She specified that he wanted to go out on a sloop and take a two day weekend lesson. Of course this would not be the Kevin she had met. There were so many Kevin O'Brien's in Ireland.
Was he coming back?

#3 The Quay

#3

Molly had been booked up for sailing lessons during most of the summer. Tourist and vacationers came to Kilmore Quay to get away from the city and spend time at the beach and relax. The Quay was a sleepy little place that lacked the hurry and rush of the bigger cities and many of the cottages were rented up full every summer. Some visitors just sat by the water and enjoyed the view, some took boat trips out to the Saltee Islands to view the many species of birds, some came for fishing trips, and some just sat outside enjoying the atmosphere that Kilmore Quay had to offer. Come dinner time the local restaurants would be packed serving the day's catch, as fresh as it could be. The area had tons to offer with sailing lessons and diving among the choices.

Molly set her lessons mostly as weekly rates where she would take someone out for three hours of training and experience four days a week on Monday through Thursday. On the weekends, she would take people out for the three days and they would have more of a feel for sailing than actually be able to sail. This meant for the most part Molly didn't have any days off. With this kind of schedule she could do two lessons a day during the week, and two a day on weekends. She always explained to her students that one week of lessons would not qualify them for the open sea, but they would be able to sail around a harbour. Safety was always her first concern.

With the two three hour sessions, Molly was able to keep the Sail Shop open when she was not out training. Since the town was so small, all she did was leave a note on the shop door that she was out training and when she would be back. This had worked for many years as she never had any complaints.

When she arrived back from a morning training session at noon with a student on this particular Friday afternoon she found a disgruntled customer sitting outside the Sail Shop.

“Where have you been? I've been waiting for hours.” the disgruntled man complained.

Molly immediately became defensive as she hated this impulsive tone. “Did you see the note on the door? Do you have an appointment for a lesson? Do you need something for your boat?”

Molly was organized enough to know that she had not scheduled a lesson for that afternoon and was puzzled with this man's attitude.

“No, I don't have a lesson, but there should be someone here to help. I did see the note, but it made no sense. You don't close up just because you're out sailing!” he retorted.

“So what is it you want?” Molly was trying to stay calm.

“Sailing lessons, I need sailing lessons and I need them right away. I hear you are the best around, so I came here,” he explained.

At this point Molly was annoyed at his demands and general attitude. Obviously this city dweller had no manners and had come to expect that he would get everything he wanted when he demanded it. This would not happen with Molly.

“Look, you do realize this is the busy summer season and I'm booked full through the middle of September. You can always try the Wexford Yacht Club up the coast some. I'm sure they have some openings this summer. Although they are a bit more pricey.” Molly was trying to extricate this person from her shop. She really didn't want to have anything to do with him.

“No, no, I heard you are the best. I need to learn this weekend. Don't you have an opening?” Now it seemed like he was pleading.

Molly knew she had this afternoon open, but was hesitant to offer it to this stranger. He was so annoying with his attitude and demanding tone, too.

“Okay, first let's chat a bit about this big rush to learn to sail. You don't seem like the seafaring type to me. And not the usual vacationer just wanting to learn something new. What's the big rush?” Molly was trying to get to the heart of this.

The man looked down to the ground as if it could talk for him. “It's my boss. I'm up for a promotion and he's taking me sailing next week. I guess I alluded to him that I knew how to sail and since he's an expert he thought it would be a great way to see if we would work well together. But I've never been sailing a day in my life. The most I've done is taken the ferry across to Holyhead, and there's no sails on a ferry. He just sprung this on me yesterday, so I'm desperate to learn and quickly.”

Molly understood the implication of this man's situation. Many a hire or promotion could be conducted outside of an office. It could have been in a pub, fancy restaurant, or in this case, out on the open sea. She actually felt sorry for this man. He put himself in a tenuous position and now he was trying to fix it fast.

“I can't train you to be an expert sailor in one weekend,” she explained. “But I might be able to give you enough knowledge to pass yourself off as having some sailing experience.”

“Anything would be helpful at this point. He just needs to know that I know how to sail,” the man explained. “I'm not really going to be asking him to let me sail his yacht.”

“Knowing that he has a yacht is good. You could always tell him that all your sailing has been done in a sloop. There's a big difference in the two. Besides he'll have all kinds of technology gadgets to help with the sailing. Most importantly a GPS and a radio.” Molly was trying to help with this information.

“Alright,” Molly sighed as she said this, “I have an opening this afternoon for a weekend training. We can start in an hour, and if you can remember the names of all the important parts of the boat, you might just have him fooled. I'll be taking you out on a sloop, so you know what I'm talking about. Will that work for you?”

Suddenly the man's tone changed to excited, “That would be wonderful! So we start in an hour?”

“Yes, you'll have just enough time for some light lunch. Don't eat too much in case you get seasick,” Molly chuckled. “Oh, and we need to settle payment.”

“It's okay, I'll pay extra if need be just for you taking me this weekend. I don't care how much it costs if this helps me get the promotion,” the man was almost dancing in his excitement at this point.

Molly explained that the standard rate for a weekend training was two hundred euros, and the man agreed and made his payment before heading off for lunch agreeing to meet back at the Sail Shop in an hour.

The Quay - 30 years earlier

30 years earlier...

Callahan's Sail shop was well known in Kilmore Quay. Pete Callahan had been an All Ireland Sailing Champion through the junior and senior competition, so it was only natural that when he retired from competition that he opened a sailing business. Mostly he took tourists out sailing and on occasion he taught sailing lessons. Along the way one of his students was a beautiful lass his own age. She took to the sea like a natural and over time made regular visits to Kilmore and Pete's shop.

Eventually Pete and Kara started dating and after about a year, they became engaged and got married. Together they ran the successful sail shop with both taking out tourists and giving lessons. That was until Kara became pregnant with their first child, Molly.

Molly grew up on the water with her mother and father, and eventually took over the business when they decided to retire and turn the business over to her. She lived to be out on the water and even when times were slow she would take a small boat out and sail around the Saltee Islands to listen to all the birds. She never did enter any sailing competitions like her father, even though she was encouraged to do so, but always had in her mind that she would make a long distance sail at some point in her life.

Molly was so focused on the business she rarely had time for relationships. Oh, she had friends and would visit the local pub and spend some weekend evenings, or rainy winter days out of the water, but come a good day to sail, Molly could be found setting out with a customer, or on her own.

Everyone in Kilmore knew about Molly. She was a striking lass. Tall and lean like her father, with the long dark hair like her mother and lightly tanned skin from being out in the sun so much. She was very careful to protect her skin as her father had to be treated several times for skin cancers that popped up as a result or not protecting himself. Anyone in town could distinguish her sailing out on the water and point her out. And they did this as a compliment to any tourists who asked about sailing lessons.

Molly was happy with her life at the time. She had all she needed. The Sailing shop was busy enough to provide a decent income and she had plenty of time on the water between sailing classes and down time when she could sail to her heart's delight. Parties with friends and family, and an occasional date when a friend would try and fix her up with a potential husband. So far none of these dates ever worked out as most of the lads she dated didn't have much of an interest in sailing or know enough about it to keep her interested.

After a while her friends gave up and just invited her over to dinner once in a while. Molly kept herself busy in the shop and visiting her parents. It was one summer when things were a little quiet down on the harbour that all this changed.

The Quay

Summer, 2009

The cool breeze blew in off the quay rustling the sheer curtains of the open windows. Summer was beautiful here along the water. She would not live anywhere else. The water was part of who she was, and would always be. Where she was born, and where she grew up.

The beaches were pristine and just a short walk down the path from the whitewashed cottages. In the morning the gulls created the morning music as the fishing boats returned to the harbour with their catch of the day.

The years had passed by quickly and this once vibrant lifestyle had become a solitary choice for her. Quiet days turned into years. Life became a pause before more quite lonely times. She didn't mind, as long as she could hear the lull of the water and smell the fresh ocean air.

As she sat listening to the call of the gull, there was a knock at the door. Little did she know how answering the door would change her life once again....

All Roads Lead to Swatragh - Chapter 64

Late October

Grace woke up slowly. The morning had gotten cooler and darker and she just wanted to stay in bed. As she rolled over she felt the warm body next to her and smiled. Her life had changed dramatically in the last few weeks. The weddings were just perfect, and she was happy they had chosen to have two ceremonies. Business was going well for both her and Quinn and she wouldn't trade living in the cottage for anything.

She quietly slipped out of bed and into the shower. No time to dally today as she had a full cottage of guests and needed to get breakfast and tea ready. When she came out of the shower Quinn was facing her propped up on one elbow.

“Snuck out on me, did you?” he smiled and winked.

“No time for snuggling this morning, dear,” Grace winked back. “I've a full cottage to make breakfast for, and I'm sure you'll be wanting something too.”

“I'll be down in a few. I've got a ride to get organized for this weekend. We'll be busy again,” Quinn replied. “At least we'll be busy together.”

The cottage had once again become a hot spot for those in the know. Now instead of poets and writers, it was musicians and bikers. Grace felt sorry for those she had to turn away with the many weekends she was full up. Donovan beamed at the wedding as if he was the proud father, and insisted he knew the minute he saw Quinn that the couple was destined to be together. Peter and Chloe were regular dinner guests, as were Grace and Quinn at Peter and Chloe's. Rafter's was their local and they made regular evenings out to eat and listen to the great music being played there.

Aine had left Grace a legacy that would carry on for many years. Grace found where she really belonged, and while she never really missed her marketing job, she did miss Dublin at times. When she and Quinn could made weekday trips to the city, they did, but always felt it was nice to be back at the cottage.

Quinn eventually sold his company to a larger company and started a trekking club for bikers. He was also able to follow his passion. His network experience helped him expand the club beyond Swatragh with members even outside of Ireland.

Aine had left Grace not only with her cottage, but with the fulfillment of years of joy. Grace would never forget that.

All Roads Lead to Swatragh - Chapter 63

Grace and Quinn started talking about wedding possibilities on their drive back to the cottage. Suddenly Grace's life was becoming complete. She and Quinn would live at the cottage and Quinn would open a second small office in Swatragh where he didn't have to commute back and forth to Dublin all the time.

If things went well, Quinn wanted to start a biking group in the area and schedule regular group rides on several weekends a month. The cottage would be offered as a place for the bikers to book their stay. He and Grace would put together package deals that included meals, or vouchers for meals at Rafters. In between Grace would be booking musicians playing locally and any other guests who were interested.

Along the way Grace mentioned how she had been organizing Aine's and her recipes, and was considering the possibility of writing a cottage cookbook since she had been asked by guests to share so many of the recipes. Se also felt this was a way to pass on Aine's memory. So many ideas, but first they had Peter and Chloe's wedding to attend to.

When Grace and Quinn arrived back at the cottage Quinn pulled his weekend bag from the car. There was this strange uncomfortable moment between the two when Grace was faced with the fact that Quinn would be at the cottage for the weekend. Now that they were engaged, would things change?

Quinn immediately realized why Grace stood at the bottom of the porch stairs frozen like a statue.

“I assume the upstairs room is all set for me?” Quinn stated to ease Grace's tension.

“Oh, oh, yes, it's all ready,” Grace nervously replied with a nervous smile.

“Then up the stairs it is for me. I'm not going to put you in a situation that makes you uncomfortable. We've waited this long. When the time is right we'll both know it,” Quinn dropped his bag at the bottom of the stairs and walked over to Grace pulling her close. “ I don't want to mess this up. You are too important to me.”

Grace wrapped her arms around Quinn and all her fears disappeared. She smiled up at him and put her cheek in his shoulder as they stood there for a moment just enjoying each other's warmth.

Grace changed into some comfortable clothes from her skirt, and Quinn did the same. When Quinn came back downstairs it was late, but time for some more discussion and a last cup of tea for the evening.

They worked on a list of things that needed to be taken care of in the next couple of months. First was dealing with Peter and Chloe's wedding and all the guests who would be staying at the cottage. Grace had already made arrangements with Rafters to work together on providing all the food needed for the few days the cottage would be packed. Quinn would help with the logistics of getting the food transported, and how it could all be set up.

Next was working on a date for their own wedding. They decided to actually have two weddings. Grace and Quinn had most of their friends and families in and around Dublin, so they would have a church wedding near the Dublin area along with a reception there also. A second smaller ceremony would be held at Ardtara with special guests invited and some locals. There would be a reception there also. This would all take place over a weekend in October with the Dublin wedding on a Friday night and the Ardtara wedding on Saturday afternoon.

Grace thought this might be a little frivolous, but Quinn found it to be the most efficient way with guests coming from various places, and some not being able to travel very far. His Dublin business associates would not be traveling to Swatragh, and Donovan would certainly not travel to Dublin. It would cost a little more, but Quinn promised they would be conservative with costs, and Grace would actually get to wear her wedding gown more than once!

Quinn asked Grace to see if Chloe would be able to take care of the cottage for that weekend and a few additional days so there would be time for a short honeymoon. Otherwise she would just have to shut down the cottage for a few days. Grace had no idea what Quinn had in mind but she trusted him.

It was difficult for Grace to sleep that night. So much had happened, and knowing that Quinn was just 2 floors up was a huge distraction. As she thought about the many things they had discussed during the evening, she finally relaxed and fell asleep.

All Roads Lead to Swatragh - Chapter 62

As they walked toward the entrance of Ardtara, Grace noticed that the entire entrance to the grand house was simple. A long drive with a green lawn and the house framed on each side with grand evergreen trees. Very stately. From research, she knew it only had nine luxurious ensuite bedrooms and the dining room was walled with rich wood wainscoting more than halfway up the tall walls. A huge skylight brought the evening light into the dining room to make it feel warm and cozy.

Quinn and Grace were welcomed as they entered the dining room. Grace was so busy taking in all the rich decor she hardly noticed anyone else in the room. It was a grand house, both inside and out. The ceiling to floor windows at the back of the dining room looked out onto the garden area. Pathways wound through the grounds for guests to stroll while they stayed at the county house.

The two were seated near the window and Quinn ordered a bottle of wine from the extensive wine list. It was a chenin blanc called Stormy Cape from South Africa. Grace didn't know that much about wines, but she knew what she liked and trusted Quinn to choose something that would compliment their meal. Their meal started with some cubed melon with strawberry and berry jus, and was followed by filet of Hake and seared scallops. Along with the fish was a wilted spinach, courgettes, pommes puree, with a lemon butter sauce. The meal was something that Grace would never have expected. It was delicious, but not over down with too many elaborate sauces, or additions.

Dessert was the perfect compliment to the meal. They both had the apple and cinnamon crumble with hot creme anglaise. Quinn seemed a bit uneasy as the dinner progressed. Conversation was general and not much more than Grace and Quinn had daily on the phone. Grace knew better than to ask more questions, as she knew there would be no answers. They did talk about the country house and it's decor being so different than the cottage. Grace mentioned a few things that she noticed at the country house where the cottage could be updated similarly and it would make the cottage look just a little more elegant.

After dinner Quinn guided Grace out to the garden in the back where they could walk some of the pathways and enjoy the landscape. The day had turned into early evening and the sky had a beautiful rose and blue colored glow. Summer would be over soon and before long the gray skies of winter would settle into this Northern Ireland county. As they walked along, again Quinn seemed to be unsettled, almost nervous, but Grace was so busy enjoying the landscape that she barely noticed. Along the pathway was a beautifully carved wooden bench where they stopped to sit for a bit. They sat close with Quinn's arm around Grace's shoulder.

“Grace, you know I care for you very much,” Quinn started nervously. “No, let me rephrase that, I love you very much. I've had plenty of time to think about things while I've been in Dublin and I've always come to the same conclusion.”

Grace was not sure what was to come, but she knew this was serious and decided not to interrupt Quinn. All kinds of worries were flying through her mind, most of them starting with “what if”.

Driving up to Swatragh every weekend is just not going to work for me. I don't want to be that far away from you. I have a business to manage and need to work on expanding that business. It looks like I might have the opportunity to expand my business into the Swatragh area and still manage the office in Dublin remotely. I have made plenty of contacts while I was in Dublin to start this expansion and things are looking pretty good.” At this point Quinn's heart was pounding and he was at the point of no return.

Grace's emotions were all over the place now. Nervous herself, but cautiously ecstatic at the idea that Quinn might move to Swatragh.

Like all great scenes, Quinn reached into his pocket as he turned to look directly at Grace.

“Grace,” he started nervously, “I don't think I can do any of this without you.” As he opened the small box he had pulled from his pocket, the nervousness disappeared and Quinn finished his comment with, “Will you marry me?”

Grace was stunned. Happy could not express her emotions as she leaned over to Quinn and threw her arms around him. After a moment Quinn pulled her gently away.

“Well? I did ask a question,” he responded to Grace's excitement looking for an answer.

“Yes, why yes, of course I would love to marry you. And I love you too.” Grace could hardly believe this was all happening. And was in awe as Quinn place the engagement ring on her finger.

“I know that usually it takes months to plan a wedding and all the activities around it, but both you and I are busy people with businesses to run. You asked why I brought you here to Ardtara. Not that I would want to step over any plans you may have, but I thought this might be the perfect place to have our wedding and reception. Of course, if you want something different, that's fine,” Quinn finished.

“Have you chosen a date too?” Grace laughed as she listened to Quinn's plan.

“Oh, no, of course not, but a fall wedding would be perfect,” he smiled as he finished.

“Then a fall wedding it is,” Grace smiled back.